Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (shoulder) has been cleared to resume throwing and running. McLain might be able to start swinging a bat in six weeks, which he said would help determine a clearer timeline for his rehab. Both McLain and manager David Bell have also reaffirmed that the goal is for the infielder to return this season. The 24-year-old former top prospect is recuperating from left shoulder surgery and isn't expected to be available until August at the earliest, and whether or not he's worth stashing in redraft fantasy leagues probably hinges on where you're sitting in the standings as we near the quarter mark of the campaign. Keep an eye on Jonathan India, Cincy's everyday second baseman in McLain's absence, but the former National League Rookie of the Year is slashing a weak .210/.321/.303 with two home runs, 11 RBI, 12 runs scored, and three stolen bases over 140 trips to the plate (33 games) this season.

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New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Friday. Manager Carlos Mendoza said that Senga is trying to get himself right mechanically, and that if the hurler continues to feel better, he could throw another bullpen session, throw live batting practice, or begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Even if Senga's next step is indeed a rehab start, he's still not likely to re-enter New York's rotation until early-to-mid June as he slowly works his way back from a right posterior shoulder capsule strain. With that said, the 31-year-old right-hander doesn't figure to be a fantasy factor for roughly another month. Until Senga returns, right-handers Jose Butto and rookie Christian Scott will continue vying to maintain spots in the rotation.

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Washington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas (knee) took batting practice on the field prior to Friday's game against the Boston Red Sox after doing so for the first time in his rehab on Tuesday at Nationals Park. Thomas has continued to run and throw as well, so the next step for him is to run the bases. Working his way back from a left MCL sprain that put him on the injured list on April 24, the 28-year-old outfielder still has a chance to return before the end of the month if he can begin a minor-league rehab assignment sometime in late May. Thomas is slashing a lackluster .184/.250/.253 with two home runs and 10 RBI over 87 at-bats (22 games) as Washington's primary right fielder this season, but his 11 stolen bases make him a must-stash asset in the majority of fantasy leagues.

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San Francisco Giants designated hitter Jorge Soler (shoulder) began a hitting progression on Friday. Soler said that he was feeling "extremely well" and had no pain in his strained right shoulder on Wednesday. The fact that Soler didn't face a shutdown from baseball activities and is already hitting means he has a great chance of being activated from the 10-day injured list on May 15, when he's first eligible for reinstatement. Although the 32-year-old slugger was slashing a disappointing .202/.294/.361 with five home runs, four doubles, and eight RBI across 136 plate appearances (34 games) as San Fran's everyday DH before going down, he's worth stashing for fantasy managers in need of power stats. With Soler sidelined, veteran Wilmer Flores should continue operating the Giants' primary DH.

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Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales hit fifth in his season debut during Friday's loss to the division-rival Chicago Cubs, driving in two runs in the loss. In his first big-league at-bat of 2024, Gonzales hit a two-run single to plate Andrew McCutchen and Oneil Cruz to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead in the first inning before the advantage later evaporated. The 24-year-old former No. 7 overall pick was Pittsburgh's No. 5 prospect for 2023, per MLB Pipeline, and he figures to have a chance at carving out a consistent role in the Pirates' infield moving ahead. It's not like starting second baseman Jared Triolo has done much this year, so fantasy managers should get Gonzales on watch lists after the young infielder's encouraging effort on Friday. Gonzales struggled in his MLB debut in 2023, hitting .209 (24-for-115) with two homers and 13 RBI in 35 games.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Robert Gasser twirled a scoreless gem in his major-league debut during Friday's victory over the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts. You couldn't ask for a better showing in Gasser's first taste of big-league action, and the hurler got plenty of run support to record the win on Friday. The 24-year-old left-hander is Milwaukee's No. 5 prospect for 2024, according to MLB Pipeline, and he will almost certainly get another turn in the Brewers' banged-up rotation following this promising performance. Unfortunately, that next appearance lines up for a more difficult task in the form of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park next Friday. Gasser is worth a speculative add for fantasy managers needing pitching help, but he'll be best suited on benches against Houston on the road.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw long toss prior to Friday's game against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays and is expected to throw a full bullpen session on Saturday morning. Manager Aaron Boone said the plan is to have Cole ramp up his baseball activities, but an exact timetable for his return to the mound has not yet been set. If the 33-year-old reigning American League Cy Young Award winner can begin a minor-league rehab assignment in late May, he should be able to rejoin New York's rotation in the middle of June. Right-handers Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt are both throwing well for the Yankees right now and are high-end streaming options in fantasy in favorable matchups.

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Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (elbow) has rejoined the team and is likely to be reinstated from the injured list on Saturday to start against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. After throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts for Single-A Jupiter on Sunday, Luzardo is all set to return to Miami's rotation following a recovery from tightness in his left elbow. The 26-year-old left-hander will likely take the rotation spot of Edward Cabrera (shoulder), who just went on the injured list earlier in the week. Fantasy managers shouldn't be in a hurry to activate Luzardo for Saturday's rigid assignment against the Phillies, considering the southpaw has struggled to a 6.58 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 27:13 K:BB through 26 innings (five starts) for the Marlins this season.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton tossed seven strong innings in Friday's victory over the division-rival New York Mets, giving up one run on three hits (one home run) and one walk with seven strikeouts. Besides the seven punchouts, Morton's highlight of the night came when he escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second inning by striking out Mets third baseman Brett Baty to end the frame. The 40-year-old right-hander remains a dependable fantasy starter at this stage of his career, featuring a rock-solid 3.14 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 40:14 K:BB through 43 frames (seven starts) during the fourth season of his second stint in Atlanta this year. Morton is slated to take the hill in Wednesday's series finale at home against the Chicago Cubs. In four starts against the Cubs since 2021, Morton has a dicey 6.16 ERA and 20:11 K:BB over 19 innings.

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Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Yennier Cano notched his second save of the season in Friday's 4-2 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing a scoreless ninth inning on one hit with a strikeout. The O's are searching for answers when it comes to a closer right now; veteran stopper Craig Kimbrel threw in the seventh inning on Friday as he works his way through his recent struggles. Gabriel Moreno laced a leadoff double to right in the ninth, but Cano got Ketel Marte to ground out to end the game. The 30-year-old Cano was an All-Star in 2023 and sports a strong 1.89 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 18:6 K:BB across 19 innings out of Baltimore's bullpen in 2024, and he appears to have a leg up on Kimbrel right now when it comes to receiving save opportunities. Rostered in just one-third of Yahoo leagues as of Friday night, Cano is well worth a speculative add to see how this all plays out.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed his third home run of the year in Friday's victory over the division-rival New York Mets. Acuna's homer was a 461-foot moonshot off Mets left-hander Jose Quintana, getting the Braves on the board and catalyzing a four-run Atlanta third inning. The 26-year-old fantasy sensation's shortcomings in the power department during the early part of the season have been well-documented, as evidenced by his three bombs, six doubles, and nine RBI through 162 plate appearances, but Acuna's scored 32 runs and stolen 14 bases across 35 games atop this stacked lineup to make up for it in fantasy. Acuna gets two more shots at the Mets this weekend. In 35 games against New York since 2022, he's batting .321 with three round-trippers, 14 RBI, and 25 runs scored.

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Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias finished off the division-rival New York Mets to preserve Friday's win, but he allowed one run on one hit and one walk before gaining the save in the ninth inning. Starling Marte walked before Pete Alonso singled him in later in the frame, and J.D. Martinez just missed a game-tying home run that was fouled off during the final at-bat of the game before flying out. Despite Iglesias' shaky outing, he's been one of fantasy's most bankable closers with a 2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while fanning 10, walking four over, and converting 10 of his 12 save opportunities over 15 1/3 innings for the Braves this season. The 34-year-old right-hander should remain a reliable option for saves for the remainder of the season.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor belted his seventh home run of the season in Friday's loss to the division-rival Atlanta Braves, continuing his recent rise from a sluggish start to the year. Lindor launched a solo homer to put the Mets on the board in the seventh inning. Over his last 14 games, the 30-year-old All-Star switch-hitter is batting a productive .278 with five long balls, four doubles, 15 RBI, and three stolen bases. Lindor has to deal with Braves pitching two more times during this series, and in 15 games against the Braves since 2023, he's hitting just .218 with three big flies, two doubles, and eight RBI. He does have five steals during this span, and fantasy managers should set and forget Lindor in all settings this weekend.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger tallied four hits during Friday's win on the road over the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates, totaling nine bases in the victory. Bellinger opened the scoring with a solo home run to right field, crushing a Jared Jones fastball and giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the first inning, later doubling twice to add to a monster night. Over his last nine games, the 28-year-old All-Star slugger is hitting a sizzling .417 with five home runs, nine RBI, and eight runs scored. Bellinger gets two more dates with Pittsburgh this weekend, and in 12 games as a member of the Cubs versus the Pirates, he's batting .333 with two homers, eight doubles, and 14 RBI dating back to last season. Continue rolling with Bellinger in fantasy leagues as you normally would.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez authored yet another brilliant performance in Friday's victory over the division-rival Miami Marlins, throwing seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Suarez scattered only three hits and walked just two over 97 pitches, earning his seventh win of the campaign and his seventh in a row. The 28-year-old southpaw is enjoying a Cy Young-caliber start to the year, gathering a 1.50 ERA and 0.72 WHIP while punching out 55 and walking eight across 54 frames (eight starts) out of Philly's rotation thus far. Suarez will get the New York Mets next in a home start that's scheduled for Wednesday, when he'll be a locked-in fantasy start in all season-long leagues.

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The Houston Astros activated infielder Grae Kessinger (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned infielder Jacob Amaya to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. Kessinger spent the minimum time on the injured list with right-shoulder discomfort and will now return to the Astros as infield depth. The 26-year-old played in only seven games (one start) with Houston this year before getting hurt, going hitless in 10 plate appearances with no walks and four strikeouts. The former second-rounder in 2019 out of Mississippi played in his first 26 big-league games in 2023 and hit .200/.289/.325 with a homer and an RBI before joining the 'Stros in the postseason as a bench player. Kessinger shouldn't be rostered outside of very deep AL-only and dynasty/keeper leagues.

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New York Mets left-hander Brooks Raley (elbow) is "not close" to throwing, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Raley is going to see another doctor this week in hopes that he can be cleared to throw. It's obviously bad news for a pitcher that was originally placed on the 15-day injured list on April 21, especially since he was expected to return from the IL when he was first eligible. The 35-year-old southpaw reliever probably won't return until at least June now, depending on how things go when he's cleared to resume throwing. The former sixth-round selection of the Chicago Cubs in 2009 out of Texas A&M was a key weapon out of the Mets' bullpen in 2023 with three saves, a 2.80 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Raley hadn't allowed a run in seven innings with nine K's in eight appearances this year before getting hurt.

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Baltimore Orioles infield prospect Connor Norby (wrist) was pulled from Friday's game at Triple-A Norfolk early as a precaution with a left-wrist injury. Norby, the team's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will probably undergo testing on his wrist, but as of right now, he should be considered day-to-day down on the farm. The 23-year-old entered Friday's contest with Norfolk hitting .275/.361/.497 with an .857 OPS, eight home runs, nine doubles, 26 RBI, four stolen bases and 29 runs scored in his first 172 plate appearances and 35 games. Norby is an average defender at both second base and left field and may find it hard to carve out regular playing time with Baltimore if he's called up to the majors at some point in 2024. For now, Norby is just a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues.

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Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said that left-hander Bailey Falter will start on Sunday at home against the visiting division-rival Chicago Cubs. Shelton added that the team will decide on what they will do with their starting rotation moving forward after the weekend series against Chicago. Now that top prospect Paul Skenes has entered the rotation and is set to make his major-league debut on Saturday, Falter may need to pitch well in the series finale in order to convince the coaching staff to keep him around. The 27-year-old southpaw has so far gone 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA (4.93 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with nine walks and 26 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings over seven starts in 2024. It will likely be either Falter or Quinn Priester who get bumped from the rotation now that Skenes is here.

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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi had a very strong outing on Friday night but picked up the loss as the Blue Jays fell to the Minnesota Twins 3-2. Kikuchi threw eight innings and gave up just two earned runs while striking out three. Kikuchi has been the Blue Jays' best pitcher this season, now having a 2.64 ERA. Kikuchi has shown significant improvement year-over-year by slightly reducing his BB% and has greatly reduced his HR/9 rate also. Fantasy managers should snag Kikuchi off the waiver wire if available. The lefty will look to continue his dominant season next Wednesday in a tough matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.

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